HOUSTON — Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the potential Republican presidential candidate, will lead thousands in a short scripture reading here this morning, as part of the mega prayer event he helped organize.
According to the official schedule for “The Response: a Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis,” Perry will address the crowd between 11:23 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. central time.
The event has sparked controversy among separation of church and state activists. Dozens of them were protesting outside Reliant Stadium, where the event is being held, with signs such as “Pastor Perry Must Resign.” It has also sparked speculation among political analysts as to how it might affect his all but certain run for the White House.
It could endear him to evangelical voters in key primary states during the Republican primaries, or potentially be used to marginalize him among the broader electorate.
Perry’s office has pushed back against criticism of the event.
“The governor is a man of faith and a man of prayer,” Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said. “At a time when the nation is confronting many challenges, this is simply about asking the Lord for wisdom and guidance.”
She said Perry came up with the idea back in December, and worked with various religious leaders to put it together. The event is being formally organized by Christian conservative group, the American Family Association.
Eric Bearse, a spokesman for the event, tried to downplay the Perry angle, saying that to the attendees, it means something different.
“To them, this is not about one individual, it’s about a movement of people coming together and crossing theological divides for the good of our country,” Bearse said.
There were 8,000 registrations on the website for the event, but organizers said that attendance had already exceeded that level before the program had formally started this morning, with more people still piling in. The stadium seats over 71,000. It will also be simulcast at 1,100 churches in the U.S., organizers said.
